The Ultimate List of Freelance Marketplaces

The freelance world is suddenly facing an unprecedented situation due to a virus that is sweeping the globe. Coronavirus – or COVID-19 – is causing whole countries to go into lockdown and creating havoc for businesses across Europe and beyond. Uncertainty reigns.

The situation isn’t a great one to be in for any working person, but the freelance community is finding it particularly tough. With many companies and organisations taking the decision to scale back operations and be more stringent with their budgets, freelancers are certainly feeling the pinch.

Some guidance and support is out there for freelancers though, with The Association of Independent Professionals and the Self Employed (IPSE) having compiled a comprehensive guide for UK-based freelancers. In the US, the Freelancers Union has produced a raft of useful guides on a range of different coronavirus-related subjects.

Nancy Van Brunt, head of talent success at Upwork, told The Drum that “We are facing an unprecedented time with unknowable outcomes. Companies might be shifting their strategies and reprioritizing the projects currently on their roadmaps, but they are still in need of support.”

The time has come where freelancers need to be more creative than ever before in seeking out new work. They need to update their portfolios and resumes, reach out to old clients and contacts, pitch new ideas to current clients, ensure their work is relevant and useful and ultimately, prove that they are vital to their partner organisations as they ride out this storm together.

Here at Xolo, we want to support our freelance friends as much as we possibly can at this time. With this in mind, we've put together a comprehensive list of online marketplaces and job sites for freelancers who are determined to find their way through this time of uncertainty. So, without further ado, here's our round-up of the top 20 online job marketplaces for freelance work:

Upwork matches organisations with freelancers who are looking to work on more complex and potentially larger projects. Available work includes both long-term and short-term contracts and has an easy communication platform. It covers everything from software development, to creative design, sales and marketing and admin.

People Per Hour is used by nearly 1 million businesses and 2.4 million freelancers across the world. It connects companies to an international community of freelancers and any work completed is reviewed and rated. They have a useful project writing tool and cover a wide range of categories.

Freelancer Map is an international marketplace for freelancers offering projects related to programming, design, consulting and marketing. Freelancers can upload free profiles to showcase their experience and skills, apply for unlimited projects and, best of all, there are zero commission fees when they do get hired.

Brigad works to connect businesses within the hospitality industry with experienced freelancers for flexible shifts lasting from a day to a month. It offers fantastic flexibility to the freelancers using the site and the businesses who are hiring them.

Toptal is designed to help companies find the top tier (3%) of world-class freelancers, including developers, designers, financial experts and product managers. Freelancers have to go through a rigorous screening process to be accepted onto the site but the projects available to win can be extremely lucrative.

The Guru platform connects companies with expert freelancers from around the world. It has a flexible and cost-effective system and is used by more than 3 million people. It is trusted by organisations as it is constantly verifying its freelancers and regularly publishes their feedback scores.

Freelancer.com can be a godsend for small and medium-sized businesses who need access to expert talent and experience. Freelancers can ‘bid’ for the work that is available for them and be paid securely and on time. The live chat function also helps to keep freelancers and their clients better connected.

Solid Gigs sets itself apart by alerting freelancers of the best 1% of jobs available daily. Its team of freelancers trawl through dozens of job boards to bring the best opportunities together. It also helps to support its freelance community by offering training on things like pitching, sales and pricing.

Award-winning freelancer firm Aquent is known to deliver high-quality workers for creative, digital, and marketing projects. They focus on providing access to freelancers who have more than 2 years of working experience. They have offices in the UK, Australia, USA, Canada, France, Japan and the Netherlands.

Fiverr allows freelancers to showcase their finished projects so that they can grab the attention of potential clients across the globe. They also provide free learning courses to develop freelancer’s skills on things like how to pitch to clients.

The Simply Hired platform allows freelancers and contract workers to browse freelance jobs in their nearby location. It allows freelancers to create an online resume and there are also some helpful free tools on their website.

Wewhodo is London’s first 100% freelance based consultancy. They have a support network in place for coronavirus, offering affected businesses one free hour of advice with selected experts and 50% off any follow up work required during the current crisis.

Established in 2005, Freelancers in the UK has created a trusted platform for self-employed professionals, consultants and sole traders to advertise their skills and services. They have a handy directory that lists everyone from proof-readers, graphic artists, accountants and cake designers.

Guidepoint ‘provides their clients with Advisors that match their specific expertise criteria.’ Each of the advisors (freelancers) on their network is rigorously vetted, giving them a great reputation amongst clients.

Twago operates across Europe and connects clients with contractors. Its innovative payment system receives much praise, with the project amount being deposited into a SafePay Escrow account. It is then released to the contractor once the work has been approved.

This ‘curated marketplace’ is for on-demand fundraising services. Euro Freelancers works to match ‘pre-screened freelance consultants and lawyers with projects that need public or private funding across industries and countries.’

Malt allows companies and organisations to work securely with some of the best and most high-rated freelancer workers across France, Germany and Spain. They connect ambitious people and projects and empower their members to work to the best of their ability.

There we have it! 20 of the top freelance work marketplaces on the internet! This list is by no means exhaustive though. Below is a list of a few more to keep you going. Happy hunting freelancers!